Airplane



u. E. RANDAL-L.

AIRPLANE APPLICATION FILED JAN, 21,19I8.

Patented Feb. 22,1921;

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

0. E. RANDALL.

AIRPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. ZI. I918.

1,369,468. Patented Feb. 22, 1921.

I 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- '2 wa 2,15 2 7 E7' INVENTOR I DfimzstfimdallATTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DELLE ERNEST RANDALL, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIAv,

AIRPLANE.

To aZZ whom it "may concern Be it known that I, DELLE ERNEST RAN- DALL,a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city and county ofSan Francisco and State of California, have invented a certain new anduseful Airplane, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to airplanes and particularly to means forbalancing the airplane.

An object of the invention is to provide an airplane which possessesinherent stability in flight.

Another object of the invention is to provide means which obviateslateral oscillation due to hunting ofthe balancing means.

A further object of the invention is to provide an airplane havingbalancing means which are-automatic in action tohold the planes at theangle of equilibrium in respect to the direction of flight. V

The invention possesses other advantageous features, some of which,withthe foregoing, will be set forth at length in the followingdescription, where I shall outline in full that form of the inventionwhich I have selected for illustration in the drawings accompanying andforming part of the present spe ification. In said drawin s I have shownone specific form of the airplane of my invention. but it is to beunderstood that I do not limit myself to such form,

since the invention, as expressed in the claims, may be embodied in aplurality of forms.

Referring to said drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the airplane of my invention. 7

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the airplane.

Fig. 3 is aperspective view of a portion of the plane supporting frame.

Fig. 4 is a perspectiveview of the forward end of the fuselage.

Fig. 5 is a front elevation ofamononlane illustrating the application ofmy invention.

Fig. 6 is a front elevation of a biplane illustrating the application ofmy invention.

Automatic stabilizers or lateral balancing means have heretofore beenproposed for airplanes for the purpose of holdin them in lateralequilibrium and these devices have usually assumed the form of pendulumsor comparable structures mounted on the fuselage. In all priorairplanes, as far as I am aware, the fuselage has been rigidly securedSpecification of Letters Patent. Patented Feb 22, 1921 Applicationfiled. January 21,1918, Serial No. 212,928.

to the planes in a lateral direction, so that r the lateral balancingmeans have been required to effect a lateral movement of the fuselage,with its heavy load of engine, fuel,

pilot, controls and other instruments. The

movement of this heavy mass by the balancing means has caused thebalancing means to hunt, causing therebya lateral oscillation orwabbling of the'airplane. In accordance with my invention, I arrange thefuselage, with its load, so that it has a free lateral movement withrespect to the planes.

erally with respect to the planes and this relative movement is employedto vary the angle of incidence of the planes or portions thereof in suchdegree and direction to cause the planes to move to reestablishequilibrium. The balancing may be effected by warping the planes attheir inner, outer or intermediate portions, by changing the position ofailerons or by any other method suitable for that purpose. In thedraWingsI have shown the au omatic balancing means arranged to warp theinner portions of the planes. but it is to be understood that I do notlimit mvself to this method of balancing.

The airplane of my invention consists of two structures connectedtogether so that one has independent movement with respect to the other,one structure being the plane or supporting structure and the otherbeing the fuselage. The plane structure comprises the frame 2 on whichthe plane supports, consisting in this instance of the transverse rods3-4, are rigidly mounted. The plane ribs 5 are rigidly secured to therods 3-4 and the planes or supporting surfaces 6-7 are formed on theribs and cross rods. The frame 2 and the planes 6-7, therefore, form arigid unitary structure. The frame 2 is ably arranged within the frame.

of the planes on opposite sides, so that the Mounted on the frame andpositioned above the frame and in the plane of the long itudinal centerline thereof, are alined bearings 1213 in which the fuselage is hung.

5 Arranged above and secured to the fuselage 8 is a shaft 14 which isjournaled in the.

bearings 1213 and the supporting rods 15 are of such len th'that thefuselage is disposed Within t e frame, the frame being sufficiently wideso that the fuselage is capable of a limited swinging movement inatransverse direction within the frame. When flying a straight course,the fuselage depends vertically from its support and a 11- tiltingmovement of the frame causes the angle of incidence of the planes or aportion of them to be varied to bring the planes into a horizontalposition, with the fuselage suspended in the center of the frame. Onmaking a turn, the fuselage is swung outward, causing the planes to tiltto the proper angle to produce the proper banking thereof for the turn.The inclination or banking of the planes is, therefore, automaticallyaccom- 1. I} plished and the amount of banking is proplane frame ismoved to bring the frame into equilibrium. Secured to the fuselage is alongitudinally disposed rod 16 and journaled on opposite sides of theframe 2 are rods 17 having lever arms 18v which are connected to the rod16 by the links 19. The rods 17 are provided with lever arms 21 whichare connected'to the planes, so that rotation of the rods 17 varies theangle of incidence of the planes. In the present construction, the arms21 are connected to the inner ends of the planes by the links 22, so

that equilibrium is maintained by warping an the rear portlons of theinner ends of the planes.

' Meansare provided whereby the pilot may my hand at control the warpingof the planes to' alter the course of the airplane when desired and thisis accomplished by manually shifting the fuselage laterally with respectto the frame, so that the planes are warped accordingly. F ulcrumed onthe cross bar or cross wire 23 which is secured to and extendsacross theframe 2 is a lever 24;, which is connected at its lower end to thefuselage, so that movement of the lever'causes a shifting of thefuselage with respect to the frame.

The airplane construction is made more rigid and the fuselage isprevented from wabbling in the horizontal plane by wires 25 whichconnect the rear end .of the fuselage with the planes at pointsintermediate their ends. These Wires relieve the bearing 12 and 13 ofany twisting strains and also reinforce the rear end of the fuselage.

The fuselage is provided with a tail provided with thehorizontal'andvertical rudders 26 and 27 and-the fixed plane 28.

I claim:

1. In an airplane, a frame, planes attached to said frame, a shaftCl,1'Il8d 'a.bOV6 said frame, a fuselage suspendedfrom said shaft andarranged partly within said frame and movable laterally with respectthereto and provided with a tail extending rearwardly beyond said frame,horizontal and vertical rudder-sat the rear end of said tail, an engineand propeller mounted" on said fuselage and means connecting thefuselage with the plane whereby movement of the fuselage with respect tothe frame varies the supporting power of the plane.

2. In an airplane, aframe, planes attached to said frame, spiderssecured to and arranged above s'aid frame, journals carried by saidspiders, a longitudinal shaft'journaled in said bearings, a fuselagedepending from said shaft whereby thefuselage has a free lateralswinging movement with respect to said frame and plane warping meansconnecting the planes and the fuselage.

In testimon Siin Francisco, California, this 12th day of January, 1918.f

In presence of G. Pnosr.

whereof, 'I have hereunto set

